


Wabi-Sabi

by Lunoi



Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awkward Sexual Situations, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Body Horror, Body Modification, Canon-Typical Violence, Child Abandonment, Childhood Trauma, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mental Health Issues, Mental Instability, Multi, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parent-Child Relationship, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Romance, Sexual Tension, Tags May Change, headcanons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:54:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26457520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunoi/pseuds/Lunoi
Summary: Welcome to my Garden! A place where my whimsy comes to life in short bursts of inspiration. A collection of one-shots, there is no rhyme or reason for what lies within outside of my own thoughts, ideas, and desires. Born to combat my Mental Health and salvage what I can of my Creative Thinking.Please pay attention to my tags.
Relationships: Canon/Canon - Relationship, Canon/OC
Kudos: 4





	1. Welcome Home!

#  **Wabi-Sabi**

> **[wäbē säbē]** _n., Japanese._  
>  The discovery of beauty in what is imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.

**///////////////---------------\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**

Hello, my name is Lu! This here is a place for me to compile the random snippets, tid-bits, and ideas that make it out of my head into something salvageable. There is no set update schedule, rhyme, or reason behind anything. I will occasionally post 2-parts if that’s how it happens, upon which the chapter titles will indicate as such. It is 100% **Mature** even if the content therein does not always meet that rating- -It’s just a precaution.

## Frequently Asked Questions _!_

**Is it all Naruto?** Yes.

 **Do you ever follow canon?** Occasionally, but not often. It’s so full of plot holes it should be tagged for tryptophobia.

**Do you have any source material you refer to?** … Canon? And my own imagination. I use ‘Narutopedia’ and the Naruto databooks that I own. I also tend to look to the manga for ‘official’ canon rather than the anime, which leaves a lot to the imagination. Fillers are cool, but I haven’t seen most of them unless they specifically relate to something I want to see.

**Do you take requests?** Nah.

**Who are your favorite characters?** Shino, Shibi, Sand Siblings, Shikamaru, Shikaku, Tenten, the Tailed-beasts, and Kisame.

**Your favorite Clan/s?** Aburame (hands down) and Nara mostly, though I dabble with Inuzuka.

**Favorite pairing?** Not a lot.

**What about smut?** Eh, yes and no? I’m not good at it, so I tend to avoid it. Innuendo, flirting, edging, building-up, what have you- -I can do. The detailed stuff that curls your toes? Not so much. If I end up writing any then kudos! Otherwise don’t hold your breath.

**Is there a lot of blood in your fics?** Probably, yeah. At one point or another.

**So, are those the only characters you write about?** There’s definitely correlation between my writing and those characters, yes. However, no; I don’t _only_ write about them. I struggle to connect with my imagination these days, so I write what I can when the motivation hits me. If it happens to revolve around a few select characters? That’s just how the cookie crumbles.

**Do you write a lot of OCs?** A majority of my work revolves around OCs so yes, there are many, and they are utilized often. But not constantly, I do write narratives between canon characters.

**I happen to like this idea! I wanna use it!** Well, Naruto isn’t mine so legally I can’t say no. But, I mean, common courtesy dictates that you at least **ask** before taking something you didn’t come up with/create, and or claiming it as yours. I’m not a scrooge, but don’t be a jerk yeah?

**Do you use Trigger Warnings?** Yes! In fact the information after this explains exactly how I do things here.

**Why do you update so randomly?** Because I only update when I actually have something to update with.

## Tagging _!_

Things get overlooked all the time; someone reads too fast, doesn’t _stop_ to read, or doesn’t _care_ , and walks into something they weren’t expecting. Whoops! So for the sake of readers that stumble upon my work, the beginning of each ‘story’ will have an extra set of **TAGS!** Each submission will be updated to reflect relevant information about what will be found in the following text, including Trigger Warnings [ **TW** ]. I’ve already stated that my content is **Mature** , but here I’ve included a second opportunity for you, the reader, to turn away from something you know you won’t like. I don’t field ignorance. If you’re going to read something that I’ve made sure is marked/tagged for warnings and content, that’s on you.

**\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\---------------///////////////**

### **Of; Querencia**

A place where strength of character is drawn. 

### **Sophrosyne**

A deep awareness of one's true-self. 

### **Novaturient**

A desire for powerful change in one’s life or situation. 

### **Xenophobia**

Fear of the Unknown.

 **DISCLAIMER:** _I claim no rights to the worlds, nor receive any monetary gain from the writing published here. All Original Characters belong to me while all canon designs, characters, and plots belong entirely to their designated franchise._

 **In addendum;** _Everything here is written, to the best of my ability, as close to my own original work as possible. At no point am I attempting to copy another person’s ideas/thoughts. In regard to already published works of fiction, should you- -the Author- -see something that worries you in my writing, definitely bring it to my attention (politely, please)._


	2. of; Querencia

## 

**of; Querencia**

> [ **kɛˈɹɛnsɪə** ] _n.  
>  A place where one feels safe,  
>  a place from where strength of character is drawn._

**Author’s Note:** This was part of a story that I have somewhat figured out, but struggle to find a start. A beginning and an end, but no middle- -like usual. Partially inspired by _Moana_ , it’s a combination of comedy and tragedy with a side-helping of Headcanons about the Clan. I will probably do more from this same ‘AU’ later.

 **TAGS _!_** #Aburame # Aburame Shibi #Original Character #Worldbuilding

**///////////////---------------\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**

Everyone knew the Clans' origins rested in the Northern mountain ranges of Earth country; bordering that vast, uncharted territory that the current Feudal Lords refused to touch. So foreign and strange, only the Aburame knew that their bloodline once called it Home. That was long ago, though. So long, in fact, that nobody could remember exactly the ‘when’ or ‘how’. Only speculation that had, over time, come to life as fact in their Clan texts. There was no way to determine what was truth or what was fiction, nor had there ever been a reason for them to question otherwise. Despite the cultural differences that separated each Branch, all of them respected the word of their Progenitors.

He couldn’t be sure what made him think of it just then, though he wondered if it had to do with the fact that the girl was determinedly heading _North_. Coupled with the knowledge that her Mother had clearly set her on a path of escape, and that Konoha was in the opposite direction; North seemed an odd choice when safety was South-East. Not unless… 

Nanai sent her daughter _Home_.

But why? How was the unknown going to protect the child any better than he and his Clansman? Could it be that Nanai knew- -had _known_ \- -something they didn’t? Shibi couldn’t help the wrinkle of his brow as he tried to find a logical excuse behind the woman’s decisions. There were two Branches between his current location and the destination in question. Assuming the North was her goal, and he had a strong feeling that he wasn’t incorrect in saying so, then if what Nanai shared with him was accurate- -her daughter was clueless of the danger she was walking into. The woman had made a point of keeping her in the dark, cutting away the half of her that posed the most immediate threat.

He supposed he could understand, to a point. That didn’t mean he agreed with her choice in doing it. In hiding the girls identity, she all but crippled her chances of defending herself when it mattered- -like now. A scowl tugged at his lips and he dug grooves into the dirt with a swipe of his hand. Lifting the fine dust to his nose, he huffed lightly; listening to the soft, responding chatter of his kikai as they analyzed the sample. What a pain this was all becoming. If Nanai had simply stayed in Lightning where she belonged then none of this would have happened. Kaomari would still have his heir and young Zima would have a future that consisted of more than being hunted like an animal.

 _Stupid woman_ , even if she was only doing what she thought was best for her daughter, _stupid, **stupid!**_

It didn’t help that he had been forced to explain why the Aburame Clan _Leader_ needed to leave for an indeterminate amount of time, to the Hokage. It wasn’t everyday he got to swear the strongest woman in the village to silence on threat of things outside of her control. He would admit, that part had been somewhat… _enjoyable_. Alas, the time for reminiscing had come and gone, he had an eleven-year-old girl to find with time working against him. 

Now, if only he could find something worth enjoying in the _rest_ of what was to come.


	3. Sophrosyne

## 

**Sophrosyne**

> [ **sōphrosúnē** ] _n.  
>  A healthy state of mind, characterized by self-control, moderation  
>  and a deep awareness of one’s true-self._

**Author’s Note:** I have this cool theory that Tenten (and others) actually had relationships with more than just their teams and a handful of people. This came to me as an add-on to another idea I had, and I ended up liking this one more. Head’s up: this isn’t a ‘pairing’ piece. I’ve always been bothered by how little there is of these characters and I thought it would be interesting if they maybe knew each other. There’s more of these two interacting (and others) that’ll probably show up eventually. One more time: **they aren’t a pairing** , and that last portion isn’t meant to indicate one. He’s not confessing his love for her, there’s a reason for what he did that I never got around to adding because I couldn’t get it to sound right.

 **TAGS _!_** #Aburame Shibi #Tenten # **Mention of Suicidal Thoughts** # **Mention of Psychological Abuse** #Implied Mental Illness

**///////////////---------------\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**

“Are you really okay?” She asked, sipping belatedly at the dregs of her broth as she stared at the older man beside her.

The conversation as a whole had been… weird, to say the least. His random interest in her company notwithstanding. Tenten sniffed, setting the bowl down. She had little experience with his kind, err, _people_ ; even though his own son was one of her age-mates. Shino was a quiet thing and Tenten hated to admit that, yeah, she forgot about him- -a lot. Not that she really had any reason to remember him. The two of them were hardly what you would call ‘friends’ and the boy had never made any gestures at changing that. In that same vein, neither had she.

She was a little surprised when the man suddenly reached up to unzip the first couple inches of his coat. The shopkeep seemed equally alarmed at the action, halting in place for a moment to gawk at the sight. Only for a moment, though. She figured something- -some twitch or quirk of lips she didn’t see- -must have occurred in that short second, for Teuchi quickly resumed his task- -blushing softly. Tenten lifted an eyebrow, then looked back at her companion, who was too busy sipping at his own bowl to give her an answer.

Though she wondered if she would get one at all. With the way people treated his kid, she sort of got the impression he didn’t get people asking about _him_ all that often either. Even if her intentions were purely innocent; he might not perceive it as so. Or maybe he just had no desire to discuss it with her. She was just a little girl after-all, what business did she have being worried about his welfare? Okay, maybe ‘worried’ was stretching it, ‘extending concern for a comrade’ probably fit better. Tenten grimaced, placing her chopsticks atop her bowl looking every bit as though she never broke them apart.

“I mean, you don’t gotta answer that, but I’m pretty sure you’re lying and mental health is important, ya know?” She purposefully averted her eyes, looking at anything but him. It was awkward enough already and she found, to her chagrin, that she couldn’t seem to keep the light flush from her cheeks. “I have a teammate who’s always lying about how he feels and whether he’s actually _okay_. He’s not, obviously. Dude’s got a serious complex, no joke. But… between you and me? And Lee too I guess, sometimes we’ve talked about- ” Tenten hesitated, taking a breath before pursing her lips, glancing down at her hands.

“... we’ve talked about what we’d do if he ever tried to… ya know, _hurt himself_ , or something.”

They had, they really had. Not too terribly long ago, in fact. The memory was still fresh, and sharp, and vivid (and all too painful and heart-breaking) in her mind. “Because he’s not okay, he never is… and he still doesn’t trust us.”

She held a genuine fear that one day she would wake up to find Gai-sensei at her door, telling her their team was down one member. Tenten tugged at her fingers, slotting them together.

“And, I know we’re supposed to be _composed at all times_ but, he’s my _family_ , ya know?” Then she was looking at him again, and she wondered what he saw. His expression was blank with his hands still wrapped calmly around his bowl, which he had quietly set on the counter. She could see most of his face with his coat unzipped the way it was, but that was irrelevant. What mattered right then was his attention. Tenten latched onto it with all the fervor of a desperate child, forgetting to feel ashamed. “He’s my family, _they_ are my family, all of them. I don’t have anyone else, I don’t want to wake up one day and find out he’s dead because of, of- stupid _Clan_ shit! I swear they’ve gotta be the dumbest Clan in all of Konoha. How can they treat him that way? How?”

She wouldn’t cry, she _wouldn’t_ cry. Not in front of this strange man, who ever so slightly cocked his head, no doubt regarding her from behind his glasses. At that moment she thought those glasses were the dumbest thing in Konoha. Tenten liked to be able to see the faces of the people she spoke too, even though technically she could see his face. Hiding his eyes might have been conducive to their abilities on the battlefield, but this was Homeground; this was not a _mission_. Tenten thought maybe, just maybe, she was nit-picking to find an outlet for her sudden burst of frustration. Focusing it on a Clan Head though, was probably not the smartest of ideas, and yet- -why did she have to be smart all the time?

“I hate your glasses. I hate them. Always hiding, hiding away from the world, people, judgement, _lying_ \- always lying. Nobody tells the truth, nobody’s honest, nobody’s real they’re all- they’re… they’re-” Tenten huffed, warmth prickling up the back of her neck.

“Shinobi?”

Even though she was staring right at him, flustered and ranting, _seeing_ his mouth move in tandem with his voice sent a strange feeling through her chest. Why did _that_ of all things make a difference? She frowned, deeply, as she realized that he had managed to simplify all of her objections into one word. Or rather, one fact. Indeed, they were shinobi, ninja, _assassins_. Weirdly, he didn’t look upset, despite her disrespect- -not even a twitch. Although, she was beginning to understand the basis for which people viewed them as ‘creepy’.

“... yeah. _Shinobi _.”__

__Tenten sighed, and looked away, closing her eyes. All the steam she had built-up oozing out of her. The shopkeep had, thankfully, refused to look back since his earlier lapse. _How embarrassing_ , she thought dryly, cracking the faintest of smirks. She was embarrassed? No wonder Neji never wanted to join them for team dinners. She was no better than Lee and Gai-sensei, her attitude simply manifested in a different way. With a glance up, she noted the streetlamps beginning to flicker to life as the darkness etched its way across the horizon. It was getting late, and she had no doubt made enough of a fool of herself._ _

__Sighing again, she slid back, and slipped to the ground. Resting her elbows on the plastic seat covering as she thought about the best way to put this behind them. Well, she probably could’ve started by not going off on him, and Tenten winced. Ducking her head to hide the blush that washed across her features._ _

__“I’m… sorry. I didn’t mean any of that. I don’t hate your glasses, that was really rude of me.” She chewed absently at the dry skin of her bottom lip “actually, I like your, uh, _dangly_.”_ _

__Which was the truth, she did like his little charm. It wasn’t fixed in place, so the beads shifted and turned when he moved, catching the light. All dark reds and earth browns, speckled with black and cream-tones. It was quite beautiful, and strangely hypnotising if you stared at it long enough. She couldn’t help but wonder where he got it. If she were to guess? Probably his wife, or girlfriend, or whatever._ _

__“Anyway, I gotta go, soo- thanks for comin’ to my girl talk!” Tenten pivoted on her heel, clasped her hands at her back, and walked away. She didn’t look back and she ignored the feeling of having forgotten something, as if she were leaving something incomplete. She had already done enough damage as it were, there was no way she was about to dig a deeper hole then she already had._ _

__Thankfully, he didn’t try to stop her.__

__**///////////////---------------\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\** _ _

_  
_“What happened to your dangly?”_  
_  


__She felt him before he arrived, though if she were honest- -he probably let her sense him on purpose. After getting to know Shino a little more, she had come to realize that his Clan were _extremely_ talented in the art of making themselves ‘disappear’. There was no doubt in her mind that if he didn’t want to be noticed, he wouldn’t be. Instead of pointing out the obvious, however, Tenten smiled a small smile, and glanced to the side._ _

__He had forgone his normal attire, dressed somberly in all black with mesh armor peeking out at the chest and arms. _Heh, shinobi indeed_ , her mind went back to a day that seemed so long ago. A day when she made a right fool of herself in front of a virtual stranger over things she had no control over. A day when she was truly no more than the ‘child’ she had been at the time, throwing a tantrum over the injustice of it all. Now, thinking back to it…_ _

__“My Mother.”_ _

__Tenten’s thoughts came to a standstill as he answered, turning her body toward him unconsciously._ _

__“My Mother was… ill, and she knew it.” He seemed, hesitant, unsure. His eyebrows were twisted together in a hard knot, his mouth no more than a thin line in his face. Right then, he _looked_ older than he was. His expression spoke volumes and not for the first time, Tenten wished she could hear the frequency of his thoughts, because she still struggled to read faces._ _

__“She knew she was sick, but there was nothing to be done, no cure for it. I did not know my Mother well, none of us did.” He stopped again and Tenten watched, fascinated as he took the time to gather his words. Very much like another Aburame she knew. “It did not stop her from loving us, though. That charm was from my Mother, an… _expression_ of that Love in the only way she knew how.”_ _

__She… hadn’t expected that. She didn’t know what she had been expecting, but that definitely wasn’t it. Just as she wasn’t expecting him to suddenly reach out and grab her by the wrist, pulling her hand toward him- -palm up- -to press something into it. Something hard, cool, and distinctly _porcelain_ rolled against her fingers before he closed them, giving her fist a gentle squeeze._ _

__“I am not good at… expressing myself.” He stated simply, and it took her a few awkward minutes to realize he wasn’t going to continue. When he seemed satisfied that she at least understood that much, he dropped her hand, and bowed. Tenten nearly choked, _ohnodon’tdothat_ \- “thank you, for being a friend to my son. Thank you, for going back for him.”_ _


	4. Novaturient

##  **Novaturient**

> [ **nO-va-‘tUr-E-ent** ] _adj._  
>  _A desire for powerful change in one’s life or situation._

**Author’s Note:** yeah okay, I like Tenten. I didn’t even finish this one, there’s a lot of these though; half-finished thoughts. More than I’d like, but sometimes that’s all I can manage. I look back and tell myself _at least I made it that far_. I get really upset when I come up with something neat and either can’t, or don’t have the will to move to jot it down. This one was an AU that focused on Tenten and her team, because I find their dynamic interesting/ish? But an AU in that she makes a friend that changes the outcome of things in the end.

 **TAGS _!_** #Tenten #Maito Gai #Rock Lee #Team Fluff #AU

**///////////////---------------\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\**

He knows.

She knows he does, he must.

He knows that she saw, watched. He knows that she did not turn away as she should have; that she was wandering in places she should not have been. He knows and yet she cannot be the first to break, _could not_. She knows that what she did was wrong, on every possible level. If he so chose he could have her imprisoned, charged for trespassing- -on Clan grounds no less. Yet he did not, and she knew that somewhere between that time, a peculiar dynamic had been born. To what extent did it run? She did not know, and a part of her was wholly terrified to find out.

The knowledge that her status of genin made her a legal adult by village laws did very little to quiet the growing agitation in the back of her mind. Not only was she now exempt from laws that her Academy ranking had once provided, she was slowly beginning to hone in on the sense of deja-vu that only grew stronger with every happenstance encounter they shared. She knows she has seen him before, just not from where, or why the thought made her skin tingle every time he found her attention through a crowd.

It was not so bad yet that she would dare believe he was seeking her out on purpose. But for her young mind, the fact that he did it _every single time_ sent a rush of panic from head to toe. Perhaps someone else might have found the situation exciting, a heady thrill of mystery just begging to be unraveled. For her, it was both humiliating and awkward; if not terrifying. Ino probably would have encouraged her to just give in, go with the flow- - _what will be, will be_. But Ino was a personality apart from others and her particular style of handling things was… less than desirable, especially in this case.

This was too real to even pretend about fantasizing over.

_It was dangerous._

She shuddered, goosebumps running down her arms as she clutched at the chopsticks in her hands.

“Tenten, is everything alright?”

The _illustrious_ Neji had opted against joining them, once again, but Rock Lee was never one to turn down a friendly meal. Normally she would have been at least somewhat engaged in the conversation, however, apparently she had zoned out so totally that both her teammate _and_ their sensei had stopped eating to investigate. She flushed warmly as she was brought out of her nervous reverie to find two pairs of concerned eyes on her.

“You’ve hardly touched your ramen, dear girl, is something bothering you?” Gai-sensei inquired, expression unusually serious for what she was used to.

It had not been her intention to get lost in thought like that. Furthermore, she was unfamiliar with the disconcerted manner in which both her team-members viewed her. It was unnerving, to the point she broke out in the faintest sheen of sweat. Had she been _that_ out of it?

“Ah, no it’s fine, really! I was just thinking about earlier is all. Ya know, going over stuff and thinking about what I can do to make it better for next time.” By this she referred to their training from earlier that afternoon. The one where Neji nearly broke her face on the ground with his heavenly spin- -which he was not supposed to be using without supervision from a Clansman. Either way, he had, and she had been the one to pay for it. Tenten was convinced the ground made a point of being _harder_ than usual that day, for the express purpose of bruising her cheeks and leaving a jagged gash on her brow.

That, or Neji was in a particularly foul mood and Gai-sensei made the mistake of pairing him against Tenten first. It was always a toss up where he was concerned.

“I’m- I feel like there’s more I could have done to be prepared. I didn’t expect him to use _that_ jutsu, and I should have, ya know?” She said, finally dipping her chopsticks into her broth to fish for some noodles. Cold ramen was disgusting, but it was better than going hungry. Plus, Gai-sensei was paying and there was no chance in hell she would let his money go to waste. “I’m supposed to be _prepared_ for anything. If he’d been an enemy ninja I’d probably be dead right now. It’s… embarrassing…”

This was a reasonable subject for her to be upset over, hell, it would have been strange if she was not. So it was no surprise that they accepted her answer with knowing looks and mirrored nods. She choked on her bite though, when Rock Lee’s hand clapped against her back.

“Do not be sad, Tenten!” He declared, mouth wide in that signature grin that made her wince with the unnatural brightness of it, “Neji is a formidable, and skilled opponent! You should use his lapse in judgement as a means to understand better how he responds in battle. Think back, and remember how he moved; his face, hands, torso, _feet_ -” the boy gestured pointedly at his feet, then, “- _remember_ , because you can use these things _against_ him next time. But also remember that Neji is smart, and he will likely expect this. His greatest tool is his unpredictability.”

Tenten stared at him, chewing dumbly as her brain processed his words. Rock Lee was not stupid, she knew that. Though, sometimes it still caught her off guard when he showed it in the more level-headed way she was still trying to get used to. To his left Gai-sensei had crossed his arms and taken up a decidedly _sage_ look. She arched an eyebrow, and swallowed before speaking.

“Well, yeah. but -”

“You’re a smart young lady, Tenten. I have no doubts that you understand the importance of recognizing an opponent's intention, _however_.” Gai-sensei cut her off, opening his eyes to fix her with a steady gaze, “Lee has brought up a very valid point of weakness in your stance that needs to be addressed. Once your available weaponry is inaccessible or gone, you flounder in your responses to things. You are a long-ranged fighter on a team that specializes in close-range. You _have_ improved, notably! But, you are bad at reading people. From what I’ve observed it is a combination of impatience, and insecurity of your own movements.”

She was shocked at the surge of indignity that swelled in her chest. She could feel her jaw working, though her mouth had gone dry as she struggled for something to say. Gai-sensei however, was not finished, and angled his head in a way that bayed her offense.

“Understand that I don’t offer you insult, Tenten; only the truth. You have a temper, which you are _aware_ of-” the heat rushed to her face again “-and once things turn out of your favor you get panicky. Your taijutsu isn’t as strong as Lee’s or Neji’s, you know this as well, and it’s your biggest pitfall. It’s easy for someone like Neji to use your uncertainty against you, and he does- and _will_ , every single time.”

And you know what else? _He was right_ , and she knew it. She knew it like she knew he was only saying it out loud as a means to help her ‘get it through her head’. Tenten _hated_ criticism of any kind, even if it was meant as advice to better herself. Nobody enjoyed having their flaws pointed out to them, and she was no exception. Being civilian born _and_ an orphan automatically set her up with one too many points against her chances of succeeding. The fact that she had made genin at all, was amazing. It was a point of _Pride_ that she hoarded like a dragon might its gold. The same pride that now had her shame-faced and staring dejectedly at her now-empty bowl. It was all true though, and she _hated_ that too.

Her heart squeezed uncomfortably in her chest as she tugged restlessly at the hem of her shirt.

“Tenten.”

It was Rock Lee this time, and she was ashamed to admit she sniffled a little when his hand came once more to rest on her back. “Tenten do not be upset, we all have flaws and we are all still learning. That is the purpose of this team, to learn and grow! Right?”

His voice was soft, tempered, and she could almost call it sweet. She felt the slightest of pressures from his fingertips, the warmth of his palm probably would have been comforting had it been any other time. Unfortunately it was not, and she heaved a ragged breath.

“Yeah… it is, you’re right.” She lamented, instead. “I’m sorry Gai-sensei, I’m not being a very good sport about this.”

At least she was right about _something_.

“I don’t feel very good about it.” Which was true, she felt horrible. Compounded by the understanding of her own pig-headedness, and the inability to simply _let it go_. She knew they were only trying to help, yet it still did nothing for the massive bruise to her ego. Tenten bowed her head, but was it in shame? Or stubborn pride? “ _I’m sorry_ , I’ll do better next time- I promise.”

“I know you will.” He stated simply, though she kept her gaze set determinedly on her feet, “but feeling sorry for yourself won’t help anything. Your pride is an obstacle you must overcome to progress, otherwise you _will_ fall behind. You made a mistake, I understand- _however_.”

Suddenly, one hand was on her shoulder while the other one tugged at her chin, forcing her to look up at him. When had he switched seats? She noted briefly that Rock Lee had gotten up to stand on the opposite side of her.

“ _Do **not**_ let it own you.”

Another hand clamped down on her other shoulder and she jerked around to find Lee giving her a wide grin, though its disturbing gleam was thankfully subdued by the soft line of his lips. This was not a ‘Springtime of Youth!!!!’ grin, as was typically expected of him- - _them_. No, this was something charged with a different kind of feeling, the kind that made her cheeks flush for a very _different_ reason. Tenten ducked her head.

“Yes! This is just another mountain for you to climb and I know you will succeed! You always do.” She pursed her lips against a very _un_ shinobi-like noise, “one day at a time, I _swear_ to it Tenten. It is not the end of the World, but by the time we get there you will be a most phenomenal kunoichi!”


	5. Xenophobia

##  **Xenophobia**

> [ **zēnəˈfōbēə** ] _n._  
>  _Fear of the unknown._

**Author’s Note:** The chapter title is in reference to the words original meaning and not the modern evolution. The setting is modern day/ish?

“ _Nimbus Abrams is a descendent of the Aburame Clan. Several hundred years from the current timeline, into the future; she is inadvertently thrust into the familial intrigue of her past after her parents are killed in a car crash. Forced to move back to the family’s ancestral homeland, Nim must now navigate a land that pushes even her wildest dreams to the brink of reality. In a world where things like ‘chakra’, ‘ki’, and ‘spirit energy’ are staples of everyday life, the American Dream is about to get a little bit more complicated for one teenaged girl._ ”

This was the gist of where it started, but I couldn’t find solid ground to stand on past the initial introduction phase. I did like the spoopy character I made though, so I wrote about it.

 **TAGS _!_** #Aburame #Original Character # **Psychological Abuse** # **Implied Child Abuse** #Modern AU

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“You are not infant.” The person- -creature?- -said, the mechanical tenor of their voice sending chills down her spine.

Nim didn’t even try to hide her trembling, it was _terrifying_. Just as much, if not more so, than the room itself. All long, pale white limbs and equally white eyes set in a hauntingly beautiful face. The pitch black a-line that framed its cheeks was off-setting and out of place; creating stark, unnerving shadows across the planes of its features.

“No, no infant. _Girl_. Too old, too old!” It barked, suddenly. Non-existent eyebrows knitting together in what looked like consternation, if not outright anger. “No _Girl!_ ” It cried once more, appendages sweeping out to carry it away from her in an entirely too spider-like motion that sent her heart racing.

It, _the thing_ , rose up to its full height, which was easily the tallest thing Nim had ever set eyes on. It was difficult to discern whether there was truly anything human about it without noticing the sealed joints, or hearing the whir of robotic components. Clearly it was some sort of Artificial Intelligence, but Nim had never seen something so advanced! They didn’t even have this sort of thing back home! Models maybe, all gussied up in their sleek plastic shells, made to look disturbingly human. Some of them could even move, blink, speak! But not like this. This… _this_ was something else entirely. This was… Nim swallowed, _hard_ , and tried her damndest not to blink.

Every fiber of her being was tight, wrenched into endless coils of nerves and nausea that slammed threateningly against the back of her eyes. When she agreed to stay with this family, this wasn’t the sort of thing she was agreeing to. Working with beehives and putting up with farm-smell was like a dream compared to this nightmare she’d been thrust into. Nim wanted to wipe at the wetness in her eyes, making her vision blurry. But she was too afraid. Too afraid that if she so much as _twitched_ it might do something unexpected; like attack her, or vanish. The idea of that _thing_ wandering around, _watching_ , with its void-white gaze… Nim’s breath hitched, and her fists clenched.

“But, He speaks. He says, so we must do.” The softness was back, but it contrasted harshly with the scowl on its face. Perhaps if she wasn’t being trapped against her will in a steel greenhouse, surrounded by all manner of creepy ruins and the hum of electricity in the air- -she might have found it somewhat comical. If only to know that it wasn’t happy with whatever duty it was supposedly tasked with.

The duty it was going to perform because ‘He’ said so. Its tone was rough, yet managed to slide over the implication with saccharine reverence. Like a toy that hated to love being used, the sort of thing she’d expect to hear, _feel_ from a machine; made to worship its Master. Except it was happening right in front of her face, and Nim didn’t know it was possible to become even more afraid than she already was. Because whatever this creature spoke of, she highly doubted it had anything to do with setting her free.


End file.
